ACT Houston - Awards and Accomplishments

Honors & awards during the 2017-18 school year include:

Here's a big shout out to BRYAN WAITES! Bryan completed the ACT Houston program in 2014. He is now the Percussion Teacher at Clements High School in Fort Bend ISD. Bryan's percussion students that he taught in 6th grade are now with him as Freshmen at Clements. The percussion ensemble recently competed for the first time and went all the way!! Yes, yhey were selected as the State Champions in their class! Way to do!!

Congratulations to LYNETTE O'NEAL, a 2006 ACT Houston intern in Aldine ISD! She has been awarded the honor of Aldine ISD 2018 Elementary Teacher of the Year. At the awards ceremony, Lynette received 2 round trip tickets on United Airlines, a $25 gift card, and a gift bag filled with items she will enjoy using. Lynette teaches at Parker Intermediate School. Aldine ISD employs 4,000 teachers. What a wonderful honor for this outstanding teacher!

Hats off to JAMAR SIMIEN, a 2009 ACT Houston intern in Goosecreek ISD. He has been commissioned to create artwork for the state of Louisiana. Click here to access Jamar's website and view his numerous art works and awards. http://www.jamarsimien.com/awards-and-art-shows

Congratulations to SHAUGHN THOMAS! Shaughn has been teaching for 4 years and is the AVID Coordinator at Lake Olympia Middle School in Ft. Bend ISD. He was honored as the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year for his campus and is a finalist for the district Teacher of the Year. Click here to see Shaughn's lengthy list of awards and honors, one of which is Secondary Teacher of the Year for the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators (HAABSE). https://www.fortbendisd.com/Domain/5578***************************************************

Honors & awards during the 2016-17 school year include:

Wow! MARIAN PEARSON was nominated for Rookie of the Year at her campus last year. This year she has been honored as the Teacher of the Year! Marian is a kindergarten teacher at Emerson Elementary School in Houston ISD - District 6. What a wonderful achievement for a 2nd year teacher. Congratulations!***************************************************

Honors & awards during the 2015-16 school year include:Here is a big shout of Congratulations to CATHY PLYMELL! Cathy was an ACT Houston intern last year and has been honored this year as the Teacher of the Year for her school, Kings Manor Elementary School in New Caney ISD. Cathy teacher 1st grade dual language.

Donna Whisonant, former principal at Austin Parkway Elementary in Ft. Bend ISD has been honored as the Principal of the Year. Donna is very busy this year with planning of her new school Sullivan Elementary in the Riverstone subdivision. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!*****************************************************

Honors and awards during the 2014-15 school year include:TOIKA MOSES, ACT Houston intern during the 2012-13 school year, deserves a big round of applause. She is the 2015 Teacher of the Year for her campus, Las Americas Newcomer School. Toika teaches 8th grade Social Studies and 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ELA Intervention classes.

LINDA DONAHUE, ACT Houston intern during the 2009-2010 school year, has been honored as the 2014-15 Teacher of the Year for her campus. Here is a big congratulations to Linda, who teaches Special Education at Smith Elementary School in Alief ISD.

RYAN FRAZIER, has been awarded the honor of "Teacher of the Month" for November. Ryan teaches 8th grade science at Lamar Junior High School in Lamar CISD. What a great way to start off the 2014-15 school year. Ryan completed clinical teaching last spring to obtain his Standard Certificate.*****************************************************

Honors and awards during the 2013-14 school year include:ALI JACKSON, ACT Houston intern during the 2012-13 school year, is a music teacher at Lanier Junior High School in Houston ISD who has been featured on KTRK Channel 13. Ali is the director of the school's polka band which is acclaimed as one of the best polka bands in Texas! Congratulations, Ali, for propelling your students to the top! Enjoy watching Ali with his students at: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=9479779&rss=rss-abcnews_iphone-kt

Hearty congratulations are extended to GERALD MURRAY! Gerald has been honored as the Teacher of the Year for Crespo Elementary in Houston ISD. Gerald participated in the ACT Houston program is 2010. After 3 years of teaching theatre at Crespo, he is the school's Teacher of the Year!******************************************************

Honors and awards during the 2012-13 school year include: Here is a huge round of applause for BETTY MCCULLOCH! Betty is the Science Department Head at Clear Creek Intermediate in Clear Creek ISD. Betty was honored this year as the campus and district Teacher of the Year. After receiving these awards, she is now one of 5 finalists for ESC Region IV Teacher of the Year. How about a standing ovation for Betty!!

We are shouting out our congratulations to ERICA LOURAS. Erica has been honored as the Teacher of the Year! Erica teaches 8th grade English and is the ELA Department Head at Hodges Bend Middle School in Fort Bend ISD!*******************************************************

Honors and awards during the 2011-2012 school year include:Here's a loud and rousing round of applause for KA'SHAWNA BANKS! Ka'Shawna received her Standard Teaching Certificate from ACT Houston in 2007. She teaches 4th grade at A. W. Jones Elementary School in Aldine ISD. She is a truly outstanding classroom teacher, for she has just been honored as the 2011-12 A. W. Jones Elementary Teacher of the Year. Congratulations!

A star is in our midst! Congratulations to Cycle 17 Intern JULIO MORALES! Julio, the theatre teacher at Sharpstown High School in Houston ISD, was featured on NBC TV Channel 2 on Monday, April 23, 2012. The TV show "SMASH" is working with 20 schools across the nation for the arts. Julio nominated his school and was selected! The program, funded by "SMASH" and NBC provides a Broadway producer or director to work with the Sharpstown High School theatre students and Julio Morales on a production.

Here is a hearty congratulations to Randi Rea who has been honored as the Teacher of the Year for her campus. Randi teaches IPC, Chemistry & Physics at the Opportunity Awareness Center in Katy ISD!

Congratulations to Audra Oliva-Thamrin Gorsuch who completed the ACT Houston program in 2009. Audra teaches 3rd grade ESL at Carter Academy in Aldine ISD and enjoys working in a co-teaching environment with special needs students. After just 2 2/12 years in the classroom, Audra has been nominated as Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to a super teacher!

Honors and awards during the 2010-2011 school year include:Let give a big shout out of CONGRATULATIONS to YOLANDA CLARK, English Teacher at Travis High School in Fort Bend ISD. Yolanda has been honored as the Fort Bend ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year! Many of you know what an outstanding teacher Yolanda is, because she is also an ACT Houston Instructor!

Congratulations to JOEL SPAULDING, 5th grade ELA/Social Studies Teacher at Mission West Elementary in Fort Bend ISD! Joel was awarded the "Teaching American History" grant by Rice University. This grant will provide Joel with a year-long program connecting secondary educators to traditional American history scholarship and offering intense seminar learning opportunities to gain content knowledge. Wow! What an honor!

The honors and awards just keep coming for SANJUANA CASTELLANOS, who was in ACT Houston's first group of interns in 2003! In 2007-08, SanJuana was honored as the Aldine ISD Bilingual Teacher of the Year. Now she teaches at Halpin Early Childhood Center in Houston ISD and has been honored there as the Houston ISD 2009-2010 Bilingual Teacher of the Year! What a super teacher and real winner!

Congratulations to HORACIO GONZALEZ who teachers in Katy ISD! Horacio has been honored as the Mayde Creek Junior High School Teacher of the Year. Horacio is an outstanding Spanish teacher! Felicitaciones!!

Let's give a hearty congratulations to GREGORY LITTLE! Gregory teaches 6th and 7th grade social studies at Forest Brook Middle School in North Forest ISD and was named Teacher of the Month. What a nice honor!

Here's another award from North Forest ISD -- Congratulations to BARINIA URIBE who teaches 7th and 8th grade Spanish, plus ELA, at Elmore Middle School in North Forest ISD. Barinia was also honored as the Teacher of the Month!

Join us in applauding LaTAMARA GIBSON! LaTamara has been honored as the Teacher of the Year for her campus in Channelview ISD. LaTamara teaches 4th grade at Crenshaw Elementary. LaTamara completed her ACT Houston internship in 2006. Congratulations!

Exciting news for ACT Houston teachers who have been honored as recipients of the 2010 Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award! This award by established by Nancy and Rich Kinder to recognize outstanding teachers from KIPP Houston, Teach for America, and YES Prep Public Schools. A total of $225,000 was awarded to educators who change lives daily. Let's clap and cheer for the following three ACT Houston winners whose pictures were published in the HOUSTON CHRONICLE on September 30, 2010:JENNIFER GREEN at YES Prep Guflton, an intern during the 2007-08 school year.SALLY HOUSTON at YES Prep Southwest, an intern during the 2007-08 school year.PEGAH JAVIDPOUR at KIPP Academy Middle School, an intern during the 2008-09 school year.

Hearty congratulations to Afreen Merchant! Afreen obtained her teacher certification through ACT Houston and is now soaring to new heights in education. Afreen has been named as the Asst. Principal at Harmony School of Science in Houston.

Honors and awards during the 2009-2010 school year include:Let's sing out praise to Chelsea McHenry who has been elected "Staff Member of the Month" for her campus. Chelsea teaches 6th math at Thornton Middle School in Cypress Fairbanks ISD.

Congratulations to Michelle Lefkowitz who has been honored as the Teacher of the Year for her school! This is Michelle's 2nd honor, for she was the Rookie of the Year last year. Michelle is a 5th grade teacher at Ed White Elementary in Houston ISD!

How about a big round of applause for Fran Brochstin, an intern during the 2008-09 school year? Fran has been selected as the Teacher of the Year at Westview Private School. Congratulations, Fran!

The honors keep coming! Lakennia Cole, a cycle 9 ACT Houston intern, was selected as 2007-08 Rookie of the Year for her campus, Highlands Elementary. Now, drum roll, this year she has been honored again! Lakennia has been selected as the Highlands Elementary School 2009-2010 Teacher of the Year in LaMarque ISD!

WOW! Let's cheer for Renee Canizaro who was an intern in ACT Houston's very first internship cycle (2003-2004) and now teaches 3rd grade at Parker Elementary in Houston ISD. Renee has been selected as HISD's ESL Elementary Teacher of the Year for the West Region. This is an incredible honor! Congratulations from all of us to Renee!

Congratulations to Danielle LaSaint who has been named "Teacher of the Month for October" at Blue Ridge Elementary in Ft. Bend ISD. Danielle teaches 6th grade math. What an honor! Congratulations!****************************************************

Honors and awards during the 2008-09 school year include:Congratulations to Linda Moon, a 2nd year teacher who earned her certification through ACT Houston! Linda was awarded the honor of Teacher of the Year for DeZavala Elementary in Channelview ISD. Linda teaches bilingual kindergarten.

C'est bon! Claire Frazier has been chosen as the Teacher of the Year at Kolter Elementary in Houston ISD! Claire is the French teacher. Congratulations!

Dana Wissink, 6th grade art teacher at Cobb in Galena Park ISD is very pleased. Her students' artwork was entered into the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Contest and won two Awards of Excellence. Congratulations to Dana and her students!

Pamla Brown, Special Education teacher at Challenger Elementary in Pearland ISD, has been honored by the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education as the Special Educator of the year. What a great honor for Pamla. Congratulations!

Wow Rhonda Williams, health care science teacher at Katy High School in Katy ISD was selected as the District Secondary Teacher of the Year. How amazing for a 2nd year teacher to be honored by ths district! Congratulations, Rhonda!

Congratulations to Robert Ford! He was an ACT intern last year and this year he is Teacher of the Year at Manvel Junior High. We are so proud of you!!!!

Congratulations to Larue McDaniel! Larue is an ACT graduate and this year she was named Teacher of the Year at Braeburn Elementary. We are so proud of you!*******************************************************Honors and Awards during the 2007-08 school year include:Congratulations to Danielle Veasey, a special education teacher in HISD. She was featured on the HISD Channel on 12/19 and 20/2007 regarding the Special Education Inclusion /Mentor Program. She was chosen as one of the teachers that HISD will follow for the duration of the school year regarding Inclusion and Mentoring. What an accomplishment for a first year teacher!

Congratulations to Brooke Howard for being named a Teacher of the Year (for the third time in her career)in Fort Bend ISD. Brooke is one of the instructors for ACT Houston. We are proud of you!

Congratulations to Betty Ann Williams! Betty Ann was honored for her work by the Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation. She has worked for years to preserve and restore the Lakeview Elementary Auditorium. Betty Ann is the Institute Coordinator for ACT Houston. Way to go!

Congratulations to Melissa Garza!!! She is an ACT intern working in Aldine I.S.D. Melissa received a Commitment to Excellence Award at Dunn Elementary. Thanks for your hard work and dedication to the field of teaching. We are proud of you!

Congratulations to Quyesha Stevens for being voted as the Favorite Female Teacher by the 8th grade students at White Oak Middle School in New Caney ISD. Quyesha teaches English Language Arts. What an honor!

Congratulations to Otis Bias for being selected as the Houston Area Alliance for Black School Educators at Jenard Gross Elementary in HISD. What an honor!

We are proud of Maria Ocanas for being selected as the Teacher of the Month for Baines Middle School in Fort Bend ISD. What an honor!

Congratulations to Marion Buckner for being selected as the Special Education Teacher of the Year for Jean Hines Caldwell Elementary in HISD!